Baby washing and sanitary fixture



Feb. 7, 1967 L. T. CLOTHIER 3,302,215

BABY WASHING AND SANITARY FIXTURE Filed Jan. 6, 1965 nited States Patent 3,302,215 BABY WASHING AND SANITARY FIXTURE Louise Taylor Clothier, 733 Harrison Road, Ithan, Villanova, Pa. 19085 Filed Jan. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 423,806 4 Claims. (Cl. 47)

This invention relates to sanitary appliances and, more particularly, to an improved sanitary fixture of the type which is particularly suitable for washing babies.

There has long been a recognized problem in washing babies when their diapers are being changed. Frequently, mothers who are travelling are faced with the problem of washing a babys posterior when changing a diaper. Particularly, in public washrooms, in stations, air terminals and bus terminals, it is not acceptable to use the wash basin for this purpose. Obviously, it is not acceptable to use an ordinary toilet fixture for the purpose of washing the baby.

While this is a particular problem while travelling, it is also a problem in other situations such as in the home, department stores, hospitals and other institutions.

In accordance with this invention, there is provided a sanitary fixture which is at the same height as a wash basin and which is provided with a stream of water so that the babys posterior can be held against the stream of water, flushing off the excrement. The device is hooked up to a sewage drain so that the excrement will be forced into the drain by the running Water.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will be better understood from the following more detailed description and appended claims in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a front oblique view of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a rear oblique view of a portion of the device; and

FIG. 3 shows a top plan view of a modification of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a bowl 1 which is mounted above the floor at a level which is convenient to use without the necessity of stooping. Commonly, the bowl will be mounted 2 /2 feet to 3 feet above floor level. The bowl includes a water inlet 2 positioned to direct a stream of water toward the babys buttocks, the baby being held with its legs extending over the rim at the outlet end of the bowl. The rim of the bowl includes the plurality of water inlets 3 which discharge streams of water down the sides of the bowl to provide complete flushing of the bowl through the sewage outlet 4. It should be noted that the water inlet 2 is at one end of the bowl and near the rim thereof and the sew-age outlet 4 is at the other end of the bowl and at the bottom of the bowl. This arrangement of water inlet and sewage outlet provides the best washing and flushing action.

The water inlet is controlled by a foot pedal 5 which operates a mixing valve supplied from the water supply lines 6. This mixing valve is of a common type which is thermostatically controlled so as to mix the proper amounts of hot and cold water so that the water temperature will be approxiamtely 100 F. When the fixture is used in a public place, such as a train station or air terminal, it will be provided with an ultraviolet light 7 (FIG. 3) around the rim thereof. Such a light is provided for sanitary purposes to continuously control bacteria which may be present in the fixture.

As a further refinement of the invention, the inlet water may be controlled by a photoelectric cell 8. A source of light 9 is positioned so that the beam falls continuously on the photoelectric cell 8. When the light beam is broken by placing a baby in the fixture, the photocell is connected to actuate a solenoid-operated valve 10 3,302,215 Patented Feb. 7, 1967 which opens the water inlet. Such photocell arrangements and solenoid-actuated valves are well known but have previously not been used in devices of this type.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated that various modifications may be made without departing from the principles of the invention. Any modifications within the true spirit and scope of the invention are therefore to be covered by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A sanitary fixture comprising a bowl, fixedly supported above the floor, s-aid bowl being of a size suflicient to accommodate a babys posterior for washing, a sewage outlet connected to the bottom of said bowl and at one end thereof, a water inlet near the rim at the other end of the bowl positioned to direct a stream of water downward toward said sewage outlet, a plurality of water inlets around the top periphery of said bowl to provide streams of water which flush waste matter to said sewage outlet, and means, connected between a watersupply and said water inlets, with which to control the flow of water through said water inlets, and thermostaticallycontrolled valve connected between said water supply and said water inlets for controlling the temperature of the water ejected from said water inlets.

2. A sanitary fixture comprising a bowl, fixedly supported above the floor, said bowl being of a size sufficient to accommodate a babys posterior for washing, a sewage outlet connected to the bottom of said bowl and at one end thereof, a water inlet near the rim at the other end of the bowl positioned to direct a stream of water downward toward said sewage outlet, a plurality of water inlets around the top periphery of said bowl to provide streams of water which flush waste matter to said sewage outlet, and means connected between a water supply and said water inlets, with which to control the flow of water through said water inlets, a photocell mounted on the inside periphery of said bowl near the top, a light source mounted on the inside periphery of said bowl near the top and opposite said photocell so that a beam of light from said light source crosses the top of said bowl and impinges on said photocell, said means for controlling said flow of water including a solenoid-actuated valve for actuation said valve when said beam of light is broken so that a stream of water is produced in said bowl when a baby is held therein.

3. The sanitary fixture recited in claim 2 wherein said means for controlling said flow of water is a footactuated valve mounted near the floor.

4. The sanitary fixture recited in claim 2 and an ultraviolet light of the bacteria-controlling type mounted inside said bowl.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,070,622 2/1937 Salvoni 47 2,446,109 7/ 1948 Scarry 4166 2,520,946 9/1950 Martin 46 2,947,994 8/1960 Saulson et al. 4187 3,031,229 4/ 1962 Symbaluk 4185 3,090,050 5/1963 Fraser et a1. 4166 3,151,340 10/1964 Teshima 4166 References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,070,622 2/ 1937 Salvoni. 2,520,946 9/ 1950 Martin. 2,875,450 3/1959 Umann.

3,066,312 12/1962 Reavis.

L. D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SANITARY FIXTURE COMPRISING A BOWL, FIXEDLY SUPPORTED ABOVE THE FLOOR, SAID BOWL BEING OF A SIZE SUFFICIENT TO ACCOMMODATE A BABY''S POSTERIOR FOR WASHING, A SEWAGE OUTLET CONNECTED TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID BOWL AND AT ONE END THEREOF, A WATER INLET NEAR THE RIM AT THE OTHER END OF THE BOWL POSITIONED TO DIRECT A STREAM OF WATER DOWNWARD TOWARD SAID SEWAGE OUTLET, A PLURALITY OF WATER INLETS AROUND THE TOP PERIPHERY OF SAID BOWL TO PROVIDE STREAMS OF WATER WHICH FLUSH WASTE MATTER TO SAID SEWAGE OUTLET, AND MEANS, CONNECTED BETWEEN A WATER SUPPLY AND SAID WATER INLETS, WITH WHICH TO CONTROL THE FLOW OF WATER THROUGH SAID WATER INLETS, AND THERMOSTATICALLYCONTROLLED VALVE CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID WATER SUPPLY AND SAID WATER INLETS FOR CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER EJECTED FROM SAID WATER INLETS. 